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Stolen wage group turns back on Peter Beattie in Parliament

27 November 2002 - Grassroots Murri Action Group (GMAG) - Media Release - A small but determined group of protesters today turned their backs on Queensland Premier Peter Beattie from the Gallery in Parliament to show how insulted they were by the government's offer of reparations for the wages and savings issue.

GMAG spokesperson Gloria Beckett said the message was simple.

"He has insulted us and all of our people who built this state, we have insulted him back," she said.

"This issue is not going to go away, a lot of our people will take his lousy amount of money but only because they have lived in such poverty all their lives, not because they want to accept what is being offered."

Ms Beckett said what happened today would happen again.

"We are insulted, we know many of our people are insulted and we are not going to go away," she said.

Aborigines snub stolen wages offer

28November 2002 - Fifteen Aborigines turned their backs on the Government benches from State Parliament's public gallery yesterday over a decision on the stolen wages.

The Government last week announced it would offer $55.4 million to Aborigines affected by previous government policy to withhold wages and savings.

Premier Peter Beattie said the offer of up to $4000 per person was a final offer which had been accepted by more than 90 per cent of people after six months of consultation.

Protester Gloria Beckett said Mr Beattie's decision was an insult to Aboriginal people and the amount should be reconsidered.

"He insulted us, so we insulted him today," Ms Beckett said.

Ms Beckett said she and a number of other former workers under the government schemes were considering a class action over the offer.

Another protester, Patrick Jerome, who was one of the first Aborigines to join the Labor Party after being granted the vote in 1967, said the offer was a breach of ALP policy.

Aboriginal Policy Minister Judy Spence said the Government had consulted on the offer since it came into office.

Source:AAP

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